Chicago Computer Guide This Week
For November 9 - 15, 2001
CONTENTS:
I. This Week's Calendar of Events
II. Broadband, Pt. 4
III. Frontline Expo Comes to Chicago
IV. Aftermath of September 11: Immigration Policy Q & A
V. Chicago Computer Company News
VI. Chicago Computer Dealers
==============Special Events===============================
The world's largest trade show featuring automatic identification
and data capture/communication technologies:
Frontline Solutions Expo - is coming to Chicago,
November 13-15, 2001 at McCormick Place!
Frontline Solutions Expo showcases the technologies that streamline
supply chain communications, optimize resources, cut costs from the
bottom line and manage 100% accurate information about raw materials,
work in progress, inventory, shipments, assets and personnel.
See how the new generation of technology tools is delivering new and
exciting business benefits!
To register go to http://www.frontlinexpo.com/index1.html.
=========================================================
I. This Week's Chicago Computer Events
Event: Developments in Immigration Law free seminar
Date: November 14, 2001
Topic: Visa Options for Allied Healthcare Workers.
Place: Immigration Law Assoc., 8930 Gross Point Rd., Suite 500,
Skokie, IL 60077.
Information: Materials and refreshments will be provided. To register
by phone, please call (847) 581-0400 or e-mail
ewalder@immig-chicago.com.
The seminar will address the available visa options for nurses,
physical therapists, and medical technologists.
Event: CACHE Meeting
Date: November 18, 2001
Place: The Levy Senior Center, 2019 W Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL
Time: 9:00am
Information: Call 800-797-5465 or go to http://www.chicagocache.org.
Chicago's first computer user group, founded in 1975. Our member
systems are predominantly IBM compatibles and are used at home
and business settings. We range from novice to expert and from
amateur to professional.
Event: Giant Computer Show and Sale
Date: November 18, 2001
Place: Tinley Park Convention Center, I-80 & Harlem Ave.,
Tinley Park, IL
Time: 9:30am - 3:00pm
Information: You can call the hotline at 708-974-3123 or go to
http://www.giantcomputershow.com.
Dealers from throughout the Midwest converge to offer bargains
on most computers and peripherals.
=================================================
II. Broadband, Pt 4
By Wayne Krakau
Well, we are now back to the mundane coverage of the
everyday world. This means a continuation of my series on
broadband communications. I know it's not as exciting as
watching the continuously updated coverage of anthrax false
alarms, but we do have to get on with our lives.
For more on this go to http://www/chicago-computer.com/novkrak.htm.
III. Frontline Expo Comes to Chicago
By John Burnell, Editor-In-Chief, Frontline Solutions Magazine
and Jane Yallum, Director, Market Development, Frontline
Solutions Expo
Companies have invested unprecedented billions in information
technology in the past and will continue to do so. Why would
anyone commit millions of dollars and resources for networks,
servers, e-mail and enterprise applications?
Click here, http://www.chicago-computer.com/novshow.htm,
for more.
IV. Aftermath of September 11: Immigration Policy Q & A
By Paul Nakadomari
Immigration Law Associates, P.C. has received many calls and
e-mails from clients and others enquiring about the status of U.S.
immigration policy in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Based upon these calls, it is apparent that there has been a lot of
incorrect information regarding U.S. immigration reported.
Click here, http://www.chicago-computer.com/novwalder.htm for more.
***************************************************************************************
V. Chicago Computer Company News
Statement From Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan Regarding The
Microsoft Settlement
CHICAGO, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is
from Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan:
Today, my office settled our participation in the historic
Microsoft
lawsuit. The agreement is a victory for consumers, for taxpayers and
for our state.
The Department of Justice and the settling states reached an
agreement that ends Microsoft's unlawful conduct, increases
competition and gives consumers more choices.
The settlement provides prompt and effective relief. We can
provide
further relief for our economy by removing the uncertainty created by
protracted litigation.
After the Department of Justice and the states won their case
against
Microsoft, Illinois and Ohio opposed the break-up of Microsoft. My
goal has
always been compliance. Today's agreement achieves that in several
important ways:
-- It gives computer manufacturers flexibility to deal freely with
competing software developers.
-- It gives computer companies the ability to freely place on
Microsoft's
operating system their so-called middleware products such as
browsers,
media players and instant messaging software.
-- It gives independent software and server vendors access to
Microsoft's
internal operating system interfaces and protocols so those vendors
can develop products that compete with Microsoft.
-- It sets forth a strong compliance process that includes a
three-person
technical committee to monitor whether the agreement is being
honored
and to report any breaches to the Department of Justice and the
states, who in turn have the right to inspect Microsoft's books on
those matters.
-- A related agreement with Microsoft seeks reimbursement for
Illinois' cost of litigation so taxpayers won't foot costs of this
lawsuit.
I agree with Attorney General Ashcroft that this settlement
is consistent with the relief we might have obtained had we gone
forward in court. And I agree that it has the advantage of
immediacy and certainty. In the days since the Department of
Justice announced its settlement with Microsoft, the states
have strengthened the agreement and made it more
enforceable.
The battle has been won. It is time to move on.
***************************************************************************************
Qwest Communications and American Hospital Association Sign
Agreement To Advance the Use of Technology in Hospitals
DENVER and CHICAGO, IL/PRNewswire/ -- The American Hospital
Association (AHA) and Qwest Communications International Inc., the
broadband communications company, have announced that they are
working together to facilitate greater use of communications technology
across the nation's hospitals and health care systems. AHA and Qwest
will build a healthcare portal for use by AHA members and the health
care
field. Additionally, to help create a common technology infrastructure
for
the field, AHA has exclusively endorsed Qwest as the network services
provider of choice for its more than 4,600 member hospitals and their
related organizations.
Part of a broader technology strategy, AHA's endorsement of Qwest
will help the nation's hospitals and other health care providers in
choosing
a communications company capable of helping hospitals to enhance
patient
care and improve operational efficiencies. AHA plans to work with
Qwest
and other technology companies to help health care providers with the
sizable technology requirements mandated under the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
The AHA has also engaged Qwest and some of its industry-leading
partners such as Sun Microsystems, Inc. to design, develop and host a
portal from which the entire health care field can access critical
data,
such as regulatory information, best practices, research, educational
materials
and leadership tools. Among many other benefits, the portal will
provide a
place for convening health care leaders via chat rooms, house new
easily
accessible technology applications for improving operational
efficiencies,
and make available products and services through e-commerce.
For more information about the AHA portal or the AHA/Qwest Network
Solutions, please contact AHA at 1-800-242-4677 or visit
http://www.ahafinancialsolutions.com or Qwest at 1-800-743-3793,
ext. AHA (242) or visit http://www.qwest.com.
********************************************************************************
CDW Launches Training Offerings for Tech Industry Professionals
VERNON HILLS, Ill. /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine a line of work
where half of someone's skills become outdated in a few years.
That's the case in the information technology (IT) field, where
professionals face a constant need to update their skills. CDW
Computer Centers, Inc., has launched "Learning Solutions," a
comprehensive lineup of technology training services.
Approximately 50 percent of an IT professional's skills will
become outdated in three to five years, according to a 2000 Merrill
Lynch study on technology learning and education. CDW's new
Learning Solutions offerings are designed to help IT pros update and
develop their skills by offering more than 1,000 courses, from
vendor-authorized certification programs (Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix and
others) to technical and application courses, customized technology
training and even business skills instruction. Course offerings
include
instructor-led classes, self-paced e-learning programs, hands-on
"e-labs"
and live, instructor-led webcasts. CDW is working with two leading
training providers, Productivity Point International and KnowledgeNet,
to
offer customers this comprehensive array of training options.
CDW customers can choose from the following offerings from
Productivity Point International:
-- Instructor-led certification classes - Industry-certified
instructors lead
vendor-authorized certification programs from Microsoft, Citrix,
Lotus, Novell and others.
-- Self-paced e-learning courses - Online education with Web
collaboration and distance learning focusing on technical and
application education. Business skills and project management
training are also offered. More than 900 courses are available.
-- e-Labs - Online labs offer technical students the ability to
develop
real-world configuration and administration skills on servers,
routers
and switches.
-- Custom Learning Solutions - Customized classes, designed using
training experts and consultants, to create an education program
specific to a customer's technical training needs.
Customers can also enroll in Cisco network and design
certification courses as well as Microsoft certification courses from
KnowledgeNet.
*************************************************************************************
Chicago Tech Companies Launch Emergency Asset Management
System to Support N.Y. Disaster Relief Efforts
CHICAGO, IL /PRNewswire/ -- 2Xchange, a Chicago software
company specializing in Web-based asset management and
redeployment technologies, has announced that it has launched the
Emergency Asset Management System (EAMS), in conjunction with
divine, inc. and DaVinci Software, Inc., Chicago-based technology
companies and co-sponsors of the initiative. EAMS, a Web-based
system ( http://www.eams.org ) that makes it easy for businesses to
contribute to relief efforts while helping agencies in need to quickly
and efficiently secure the goods and services they require, has been
launched to aid the ongoing disaster relief efforts in New York.
It is estimated the recovery efforts will take as long as 18
months.
That means there is an ongoing need for donated goods and services.
The Web-based EAMS platform, powered by software developed
and implemented by 2Xchange, allows corporations to post listings of
assets that they are donating to the relief effort on the EAMS Web
site,
http://www.eams.org . New York City and State agencies and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are able to source
goods and services when needed directly from the EAMS site.
The EAMS system streamlines the current paper-based methods of
tracking, monitoring, taking inventory, warehousing, and distributing
donated goods and services, helping to ensure that donated items get
to the agencies and individuals when they most need them.
"We are excited about the opportunity to utilize the EAMS. This
will give the 300-plus affiliated chambers of commerce another
opportunity
to participate directly in the disaster efforts. Additionally, using
the EAMS
will give us the ability to efficiently make available the
contributions to
the over 10,000 affected businesses," said Nancy Ploeger, Executive
Director of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.
"Certainly, as we have seen, there's no shortage of generosity as
individuals and corporations in America have consistently reached
out to help in response to disasters of all kinds. The problem is that
these
good intentions frequently overwhelm the capabilities of relief
agencies to
handle the donations of non-cash assets," said Stephen Meade, chief
executive officer of 2Xchange. "That's why we are so proud to offer
the EAMS system to the disaster relief efforts in New York. We believe
we will be able to connect the generous donations of companies and
individuals with the departments and agencies that need those items
most."
Once a business registers with EAMS, it can post items it intends
to
donate to the relief effort. Government or relief agencies also
register
and post items that they need. An online credit system is utilized to
enable the agencies and affected businesses to acquire the donated
goods if and when needed. The system also is capable of taking
online donations of volunteer time.
EAMS is currently soliciting donations of goods and human services
on the EAMS Web site, and the City of New York is expected to begin
posting its needs there as well. Companies and individuals wishing to
donate goods and services should go to http://www.EAMS.org and
register.
2Xchange is a provider of Business-to-Business software for the
Global 2000's $1.2 TRILLION non-cash transaction industry. 2Xchange
is a subsidiary of GBUCs, LLC. Among GBUCs' other products is
RONAStar,
a software product that simplifies asset transfers in and among large
corporations and governmental units. For more information visit
http://www.2xchange.com
**************************************************************************************
VI. Chicago Computer Dealers
Click here at http://www.chicago-computer.com/deals.htm for our list
of computer dealers and some of the lowest prices in town!
Readers: We welcome your feedback on our newsletter. Please direct your
comments to the editor at mailto:ccg@interaccess.com. We want to make
our newsletter better every week. We encourage you to share your
suggestions with us